A group of companies and research institutions in Japan has announced safety guidelines for drone aircraft use.

The "Bebob Drone" flies in the air during a news conference in Tokyo. Source: WikipediaThe guidelines were developed by the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association and specify where and how to fly the aircraft, as well as require users to get an operator's license. This license will be introduced voluntarily by the association. The group will also guide users to obtain damage insurance coverage, and file reports with authorities if accidents happen.

The group hopes to launch the voluntary license system by the end of the year with help from relevant parties, adding license applicants must pass both a paper-based and a skills test, according to Yasuhiro Senda, head of the association.

The private-sector move comes as Japanese lawmakers discuss a bill to ban drone flights over important areas like the prime minister's office, the parliament building and the Imperial Palace, in the wake of a crash of a drone on the prime minister's roof in April.

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